Because I need some sunshine right now
Working week:
I made good headway with Storm and Lightning, writing some key scenes and getting the total wordcount up to 40k. Looks like this is going to end up at just under 50k, so a very long novella. I’ve also been working on a few UK Meet plans with my fellow organisers, Jamie Merrow, Charlie Cochrane, Clare London and new addition, Liam Livings. We’re all getting really excited about Manchester 2013!
Real life:
It was Daisy’s birthday on Saturday, so I spent a fair bit of time this week prepping for her party (and building her a flatpack play kitchen). It was a whole load of work, but worth every second to see how delighted she was with everything, and how much she enjoyed her party. I honestly think her favourite present of all was the Oxford Reading Tree “Read at Home” books (she’s on level 4 now). My little girl just loves reading and is never happier than with her nose buried in a book. Well, okay, she loves writing and art too. She really is a chip off the old block!
The fairy castle cake I made went down a storm (the firework fountain on top helped), as did the light-up helium balloons. My favourite bit, though, was the fireworks display at Longleat that night. It truly was the best fireworks display I’ve ever seen, perfectly choreographed to music. Daisy adored it, even if “Thriller” got a bit scary for her towards the end.
This week:
It’s half term, so I don’t anticipate getting a huge amount of writing done. If I can manage to rustle up some childcare I’ll write some more Storm and Lightning, but otherwise I’ll just spend time with Daisy and catch up with friends. Maybe I’ll even finish off a few of those sewing projects that have piled up 
What are the rest of you up to?
That is a really sweet kiss up there
Made me all warm and fuzzy inside
I’m not up to much, this week it’s work, work related meetings and a few visits to the cinema to watch James Bond
Ah, James Bond. I suppose I should watch some of these Daniel Craig ones. I hear he’s pretty good
He’s my favourite Bond, just the right mix of action hero, dry humour and sex appeal for me
And quite nommy too
So glad the party was a great success. You already have school break? We don’t get many breaks except for the odd day off until Christmas. But we get a long summer break.
Another busy week for me. I have a meeting with the theatre people this morning to measure out the stage for our contractor to build sets, then Wed. morning I FINALLY get this stupid root canal finished (just need the permanent fill on the tooth), Wed. is also Halloween but it’s going to be cold and possibly wet so not sure how many kids are out and my daughter was supposed to do a Halloween for Hunger food drive but they’re not sure they are going to now since the school administration is not being supportive and with the weather…. Sigh. Stupid storms. Oh and of course there is a panic thing at work. Always. LOL
Someday, maybe I’ll get to read a book. Double sigh.
Enjoy the school break.
Thanks Tam–and yeah, we get a whole week off in the middle of every term to break them up.
Sounds like your life is mayhem right now. Root canal–ugh. Good luck with that one! And in reading a book. Sometimes it really is tough to find time for things like that.
I am dealing with midterms this week. One I get to proctor (from 7pm to 9pm, ug) and two I get to take.
And hoping the other TAs for the class don’t decide that immediately following the midterm is the time to grade them, since I’m going to need to be hopped up on sugar/caffeine just to make it that late.
Ugh–definitely sounds like you need a break. Mind you, I seem to remember getting through my teaching days on sugar and caffeine, much like all my colleagues. It’s an occupational hazard.
Good luck with the exams you’re taking. Hope there are questions you can really sink your teeth into, and you don’t suffer from my exam problem which is being overwhelmed to the urge to run up and down the aisles, shouting.
Oh YAY for plans for next year’s meetup. I’ve already started looking at flights /o\ So expensive so we’ll see.
Congrats on the word count – that’s awesome
Sounds like Daisy’s party was a huge hit! I’d love to see pictures of the cake – it sounds AMAZING
So cool that she’s so into the reading 
And the art and writing as well 
Have fun with Daisy and friends this week, enjoy her time off from school
I was going to post a picture of the cake but realised they were all on my dad’s camera, and he’s away for a few days. Maybe I’ll stick it on Twitter later in the week…
Yeah, it’s great that she has so many interests, and I’m looking forward to doing lots of arty things with her. She painted a piggy bank today
What a pain that flights are pricey. Is that from Germany, or do you know where you’re going to be yet?
A late ‘Happy Birthday’ to Daisy! The cake sounds absolutely wonderful. You didn’t take piccies by any chance?
With all your talk of projects and knitting and stuff, I got out one of my unfinished knitting things and started on it, while listening to ‘Wuthering Heights’ on Radio 4 Extra. Cool. So thanks for the prompt
I didn’t take piccies of the cake but my dad did. Just got to wait for him to get back from a short trip before I can get my hands on them, but I’ll post them then, I promise
That’s great you’re knitting again! I almost finished my winter scarf today. Just the tassels to knot on now. It’s definitely getting cold enough to need it.
Ah yes half term, doesn’t it come round so quickly, seems hardly five minutes they’ve been back at school. That means it’s a week of being mummy taxi to and fro from the golf course while I try to fit in my hours at RL work and finish the first draft of my ever expanding story. And assuming the rain holds off, on Friday I promised a trip to a castle. Leeds maybe. The castle not the town.
Fireworks at Longleat sounds like fun!
Your kid plays golf? That seems like such a grown up activity
I suppose I should promise Daisy a trip somewhere later in the week, but there aren’t all that many places we can get to on the bus round here. I need a car of my own!
Hope the ever-expanding story is going well
It’s the only sport he’s ever really wanted to do and the crazy variety, while he loves it, doesn’t quite cut the mustard.
The ever expanding story is expanding but I think I see an end in sight. I have notes for various scenes up to what I think will be the end, as long as the boys don’t hijack the story…again!